How was this guidance developed?

The recommendations are based on the best available evidence. They were developed by the Public Health Interventions Advisory Committee (PHIAC) using the NICE public health intervention guidance process.

What evidence is the guidance based on?

The evidence that PHIAC considered included:

Evidence review

The review of effectiveness and barriers and facilitators was carried out by The University of Sheffield/School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR). The principal authors were: Campbell F, Blank L, Messina J, Day M, Buckley Wood H, Payne N, Goyder E and Armitage C.

Cost effectiveness

The review of economic evaluations and the review of economic barriers and facilitators were carried out by Brunel University London/Health Economics Research Group (HERG). The principal authors for both reviews were Anokye N, Jones T and Fox-Rushby J.

The economic modelling was carried out by Brunel University London/Health Economics Research Group (HERG). The principal authors were Anokye N, Jones T and Fox-Rushby J.

In some cases the evidence was insufficient and PHIAC has made recommendations for future research.

Status of this guidance

The draft guidance, including the recommendations, was released for consultation in December 2012. At its meeting in February 2013, PHIAC amended the guidance in light of comments from stakeholders and experts and the fieldwork. The guidance was signed off by the NICE Guidance Executive in April 2013.

The recommendations are also available in a pathway for professionals whose remit includes public health and for interested members of the public.

Implementation

NICE guidance can help:

Commissioners and providers of NHS services to meet the requirements of the NHS outcomes framework 2013–14. This includes helping them to deliver against domain one: preventing people from dying prematurely.

NICE has developed tools to help organisations put this guidance into practice.

Updating the recommendations

This guidance will be reviewed according to current processes. Information on the progress of any update will be posted on the NICE website.

Your responsibility

This guidance represents the views of the Institute and was arrived at after careful consideration of the evidence available. Those working in the NHS, local authorities, the wider public, voluntary and community sectors and the private sector should take it into account when carrying out their professional, managerial or voluntary duties.

Implementation of this guidance is the responsibility of local commissioners and/or providers. Commissioners and providers are reminded that it is their responsibility to implement the guidance, in their local context, in light of their duties to have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations. Nothing in this guidance should be interpreted in a way which would be inconsistent with compliance with those duties.